1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle seat including a seat frame that constitutes a frame of the seat, and a seat pad (a member that elastically supports an occupant) that is supported by the seat frame.
2. Description of Related Art
As this kind of vehicle seat, there is disclosed a vehicle seat that includes a seat cushion, and a seat back connected to the seat cushion so as to extend upward (Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-29276 (JP 2010-29276 A)). In the aforementioned art, each of the seat cushion and the seat back includes a seat frame that constitutes a frame of the seat, and a seat pad that forms an outer shape of the seat. The seat frame is a substantially rectangular frame body (which is typically made of a metal). The seat pad is a substantially rectangular member that elastically supports an occupant (and that is typically made of a foamed resin), and a reverse face side of the seat pad is covered with a backing material such as a non-woven fabric. A center portion of the seat pad (on a seating side) is flat (a main portion is formed), and end portion sides of the seat pad in a seat width direction protrude toward the seating side as compared to the center portion of the seat pad (bank portions are formed). In the aforementioned art, when the seat pad is disposed on the seat frame, the main portion is disposed in the seat frame, and a reverse face side of each bank portion contacts the seat frame so as to be supported by the seat frame. In this manner, the reverse face side of each bank portion of the seat pad is hooked on the seat frame.
In the aforementioned seat configuration, for example, when the occupant gets on/off a vehicle, the bank portion of the seat back may be pressed inward from outside the seat due to its contact with the occupant. In this case, in the aforementioned art, the reverse face side of the bank portion contacts the seat frame and is hooked on the seat frame. Therefore, an end portion side of the seat pad that constitutes the bank portion (an end portion side that protrudes toward the seating side) is (excessively) flexurally deformed so as to be crushed (bent) toward an inner side of the seat around a contact portion that contacts the seat frame. Thus, in the configuration of the known art, every time the occupant gets on/off the vehicle, the end portion side of the bank portion (a specific portion) may be damaged through repeated flexural deformation or the like.